Scarred

Jumping out of the Jeep, I looked to see what happened to the other vehicle. I detected it at once, about one-hundred metres away. The land rover was on its side. Climbing out of the back, an angry Mario. Cursing and kicking at the vehicle.

"You are going to pay for that you bastard!" The voice came from behind me.

Turning around as fast as I could, not more than ten metres away was Lucas. He was struggling to load a shell into the barrel of a shotgun. At once I sprinted towards him. A couple of metres from him, the gun was ready, and the barrel raised at me. No way I was going to make it. Suddenly something leapt from the side. Knocking the weapon away as it fired into the air. It was Charlie. He jumped onto Lucas.

With Lucas lying on his back, protecting his face. Charlie is standing over him. His front paws are pushing down on Lucas' chest. The dog is barking at him, sliver dribbling onto his face.

"Charlie!" I called out. The dog instantly came to my side.

Lucas slowly got up his eyes glued on Charlie. I walked over to where the gun was lying. Picking up the weapon, I pointed it at Lucas as I walked towards him. His eyes moved from Charlie to me. "Why did you do it, Lucas? Why did you lie for Mario? I asked. I waited for a few seconds for an answer. I didn't get one. Turning the gun around, with the wooden hand of the shotgun I smashed Lucas across the face, Knocking him over. Pulling the weapon back ready to strike him again.

"Michael stop!" Helen screamed running towards the scene.

Staring into Lucas' eyes, I could see the fear in them. I looked over at Charlie, standing there like an arrow. Pointing towards Lucas, ready for the order to attack. Turning back to Lucas, I calmly said, "Either you say the truth or I'll let the dog finish you."

"Michael please, you're taking it too far!" Helen called out.

"He bribed me to lie. Mario bribed me; he gave me money to lie. It was his fault that his brother drowned. Tony went after Mario, to get him out of the water. When only Mario appeared, you rushed into the sea to get Tony. You searched and searched for him. I rushed to the hotel to ask for help. Mario was too wasted to do anything. By the time I got back with the hotel staff, you were laying on the beach half-concious. When they had pulled Tony out of the sea, he was dead. The paramedics tried to revive him, but it was too late." Dropping his head to his chest in shame, he commenced crying. "I am sorry for what happened to you. You are not to blame for any of this. You tried to save your friend!" he called out as I started making my way towards Helen.

"Shut up, you stupid asshole!" Mario screamed out at Lucas, as he approached him. Helen and I ignored him, as we climbed into the Wrangler. Charlie was jumping into the back of the Jeep. Mario carried on blubbering, "You can't prove anything, do you hear me. You threatened him, made him say what he said."

Tapping the gadget which Jimmy installed on the dashboard, I turned to Helen. "Let's get out of here before I do something to shut him up," I violently said.

"Is my dad at home?" I asked Helen.

"He was with Joe; they were driving around looking for you."

"Text Joe, tell him to meet us at Takis' shop."

When I reached our destination, it seemed more people had gathered. Nowhere to park the Jeep, I saw a wide enough gap between two cars. Driving onto the pavement, parking a few metres away from the cafe. "Now we wait for the law. It won't be long till they turn up. We can finish this once and for all." Taking Helen's hand in mine, I squeezed it.

Joe appeared, pushing dad towards us. My father is driving the wheelchair pushing the handrims forcing the chair to go faster. A sigh of relief on his face on seeing us. At once he spotted the broken side mirror. "You was in an accident, what happened are you ok? Is Helen ok?" He was trembling, frightened that something occurred to us.

"We are both ok," I reassured him.

The sound of sirens could be heard, in the distance. A few moments later, two police patrol cars appeared, between them a black Bentley. Once they came to a halt, the sirens stopped, the blue lights still spinning. Climbing out of the Bentley, a furious Savvas. Waiting for a moment for officer Petrou to appear next to him, before he commenced to march towards us. Closely followed behind by Katerina his wife, Mario and Lucas.

"You little piece of shit, since the day you came back. All we have had is trouble! Today was the final straw, trying to kill my other son!" Savvas screamed while waving his fist in the air.

When he was close enough, he raised his hand, bringing it down towards my face. Grabbing his fist as it was in mid-air, I held it there. "I didn't kill anyone!" I spat back. Rushing at me from behind Savvas, it was Mario. In his hand a butterfly knife. Flipping the knife open, as he was getting closer. Pushing Savvas to the side, I manoeuvred towards Mario. With the blade inches away from me, with a swift move, but hard blow to his wrist I knocked the weapon out of his hand. My other hand grasped his T-shirt, flicking him over my body while I still held onto him. My right fist, like a jackhammer, came down on his face, at least half a dozen times.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, turning I am sure for a split second I saw Tony, but it wasn't. It was Mrs Katerina. "Please, he is all I have left." Those few words at that moment drained the anger from me. Grabbing me from either side, two officers dragged me off, Mario.

They were hauling me towards the patrol cars. "Wait I have proof!" I screamed. At that moment Joe intervened. Blocking their path, by standing between us and the patrol car.

"What proof?" Savvas called out. Pushing his way towards us, through the gathering crowd. Until he was in front of me, staring straight into my eyes. "What evidence do you have?"

"Let me get it from my car?" I said while trying to release myself from the officers' grips. With a nod from Office Petrou, they released me at once. Followed closely by everyone concerned, I walked to my Jeep. Opening the car door, I reached to open the glove compartment. At once Officer Petrou pulled me back. Putting my hands up, I turned to one of the officers and said, "There is a tablet in there if you disconnect it and give it to me?"

Putting the device on the bonnet, I scrolled through the menu until I found a video clip and pressed play. Savvas and his wife in front of the device, their eyes glued on the ten-inch screen. There was silence as everyone watched from behind them. Helen stood next to me, holding my hand tight.

In full high-definition, the encounter I had with Mario and Lucas an hour ago. All filmed with the dashboard cam Jimmy had installed before I came to Avgorou. Mario driving towards me with the Landrover. Coming straight at me, on my side of the road, before he crashed. With Lucas confessing to what happened the fatal night, Tony died. Savvas and Katerina turned to look at each other before they turned to look at me. With his head down, Savvas began to make his way back to the Bentley, his wife close behind.

It didn't take long for the crowd that had gathered to disperse. Leaving us standing there. My father pushed himself next to me. Looking up, he said, "I am proud of you son, for clearing your name."

Smiling back at my father, I replied. "Let's go home; it has been a long night. We can all do with some shut-eye."

Epilogue

Three months later

It's our engagement party. Yes, Helen and I have decided we want to spend the rest of our lives together. Hand in hand we are going around thanking our guests for coming to our engagement.

Standing on the veranda, we watch Maria showing off her new puppy to her friends, while Charlie strolls behind her. All the kids are making a fuss over the two dogs.

Coming towards us is Joe and George. They are arguing, who is going to christen the first child we have.

"You was best man. That means I christen their first child!" George screams at Joe.

Joe fires back, "Best man christens the first child."

The maid of honour appears from nowhere. "Not if it's a girl gentleman!" Putting a stop to the argument, with her words and beauty.

We notice; everyone has gone silent. Looking around, we spot Mr Savvas with his wife approach my father. Exchanging words with him. Turning towards us, they start making their way towards me. My father stops the wheelchair, while Savvas and Katerina continue to walk towards me, they both stand there with no words to say. I hadn't seen Savvas' family for three months, the bitterness I had for them hadn't gone away.

"I can't remember inviting you!" I spat at him. "Maybe you've come to blame me for something else your crazy son has done?" Helen at once pulled down on my sleeve to make me stop.

With his head down he spoke, "I haven't come to cause trouble. I have come to ask for forgiveness." Looking up at me, he continued, "You will not see Mario for a while, as he has gone abroad. When he comes back, we hope he is half the man you have become."

I just stood there in shock, speechless. I looked at him for a while, before I spoke. "Thank you for coming. Tony would have liked this." They both embraced me, with tears in their eyes.

With a glass of champagne in hand, Helen and I stand in front of our guests as I start my speech, "I would like to thank everyone for coming tonight. To spend this extraordinary day, with us. Thank you, mum and dad, for giving me life and always being there for me. My mother may not be here in person, but I know her spirit is. I would like to thank Stelios and his family for being there for me when I needed them. Thank you to all my relatives for supporting me." Turning to Helen, I say to her, "Angel it's just you and me, we have the whole world to discover."

Staring into my eyes, she answers back, "Only the two of us? What about?" She then looks down at her stomach and smiles at me.

The End